On the 13th of July, Radio 5 live’s morning show went into the topic of vaping and discussed the biggest issues around it. Nicky Campbell brought in a bucket full of guests ranging from headteachers, vape shop owners and even a scientist to get each of their individual scoops on the matter. As we listened in on the conversation there was no way we were going to miss this blog opportunity to address the biggest issue with vaping in recent times, so here we go!
A Virtual Room Gets Cloudy
Nicky Campbell's first guest was a stone-cold vaper who loves vaping as it was the only tool that had helped him quit the cigarettes for good - our type of guy! He went on to tell Nicky how he couldn't live without his vape now and why would he? His chesty coughs had stopped, he wasn't gasping for air walking up the stairs anymore and he couldn't remember the last time he had a sore throat. The more he talked the more we listened as it was music to our ears. But we already know the HUGE difference that converting from smoking to vaping can make to someone's life and sure I hope you do too, so let's proceed…
Next, Hazel the Chief Deputy Executive of Ash spoke on the benefits of vaping compared to smoking. Another subject we are clued up on but again was great to hear it from someone in her position. She went on to inform Nicky (who was sceptical about vaping) that smoking quitters who convert to vaping reduce their cancer risks and lung diseases hugely within weeks. Short-term health research shows no evidence of harm done to your body in vaping whereas in smoking tobacco there is huge harm to health whether it be short-term or long-term. Her comparison of the two was something we might have to use in future because it was gold! She said, “Smoking a cigarette is like jumping off the 40th floor of a building and using a vape is like jumping off the first floor”. Couldn't have said it better ourselves!
As Nicky was thinking this was too good to be true, the conversation started to shift towards the misconceptions and faults within vaping and the industry itself…
Enter Evelyn Ford MBE, the headteacher at Copthall School in London. Her worries lay on the sudden rise of students who are now vaping in school. The fact that her students could go to their nearest corner shop and buy a vape from irresponsible retailers and then bring them to school and vape in the toilets, broke her. This stems from the younger generation thinking that vaping is a toy, completely health risk-free and is meant for anyone. This is one of the largest problems we have with vaping today and ends up putting a bad name on our industry.
Riot's Response
Vaping has never been and should never be advertised as a product anybody should use. It has always been a method to quit smoking and as an NRT (Nicotine Replacement Therapy). No companies can advertise it as a health risk free product due to regulations and laws implemented by the TPD. The problem is in underage peer to peers.
Riot Labs make sure we are not marketing toward the wrong audience by not using any colourful designs or cartoon characters on our packaging to combat influencing the younger generation. We don't market toward any demographic under 25 on our online marketing, whether that be on our site, social media or PR. During our Riot Rehab Bus Tour, we have also been rejecting purchases from any people at festivals that say they are not a smoker or vaper.
We also only supply our products to responsible vape stores that implement Challenge 25 and ask for ID on arrival to the store. We make sure we do our part in helping smokers quit smoking in an environmentally sustainable way.
